Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-12-23
.R "REMINISCENCES.
, s.,d,ers Rebearsing the Surrlne
Games Through Which They
Passed. H.-


Passed.
.ao..s Of tho Battle Fteld, tho
camp.F Fire, and the Merry
March.
Rebel OF Loyalist?
.,vasxp sY AN Rx-coNrHDE.sATR SOLDIER
~ raE GRAND ARMY OF TER nEPuBLIc.l
=. q rebel, il you please,
..ckless fighter 70 ehe last;
All fall upon my knees
~ i,er forgiveness for the past.
...;+ore a traitor? Not
&c a patriOt to the core;
south was mine; loved her 20,
" 20 her ALL could no more.
scowl ut NO. And was it wrong
~ y. year the gray my father worer
~ LA elink back. though young aud strong,
s ron, foes before my mothers door3
r,others kiss was hot with fight:
H. fathers frenzy filled his son;
~ ronan rocking day and sodden night
sv siatcr's courage urged nue. on.
ID T. missile stepped in hate.
t1rrled forward like cannon-ball
the resistless hand OF late,
pnshed wildly, madly through it all.
,temmed tho level flames OF hell:
|nier bayonet- bars OF death broke;
ran 40 near when Cleburne toll
II heard the muffled bullet-strokel
- ~, in vain. With dull despair
saw the storm of conflict die;
NV Law the Southern banner fair,
And yonder flag was waving high.
od what q triumph had the fool
Laurel. and arch. and trumpet blare;
FOUND tho earth their songs did go;
laundering Through heaven their shouts did
tear.
mother, gray and bent with years,
boarding loves withered aftermath,
er sweet eyes burnt too dry for tears,
Sat in the dust Of Sherman's path
father, broken, helpless, poor,
i gloomy, nerveless giant stood,
10 strong to cover and endure,
Too weak to 6Rht for msStorhoOd,
boyhood's home, bleckened heap
Where lizards crawled and briars grew.
sd felt tho fire Of vengeance creep,
The crashing round shot hurtle through.
hal no country all was lost;
closed my eyes and longcd to die,
lille past me stalked the awful ghost
or mangled, murdered liberty
be scars upon my body burned;
felt q heel upon my throat.
heel that ground, and grinding turned
With ench triumphal trumpet note.
Grind OFT cried, nor doubt that l.
II all yocr necks were one and low
mine is overwhelmingly
Would cct it by single blov!"
bat was dark night; but day Is here,
The browning victory is won;
ark, how the sixty millions cheer,
With freedoms flag across the sun.
tn traitor? Who are you
That dares to breathe that word to mes
bu never wore the Union blue;
No wounds affirm your Loyalty!
do detest the suffers clerk.
Who skulked and lodged till peace had come,
ben found 1t most congenial work
To beat the politician's drum.
clasp the hand that made my scars;
cheer the flag my foemen bore;
Shout for Joy to see the stars
III on our common shield once more,
do not crinRe before you nov,
Oc lay my face upon the ground;
Jam o man OF men peer
And not g covering. oudgel0d hound,
stand and soy that you wore right;
u greet you with uncovered head,
many tnunderous fight,
Where whistling death between us sped.
those dead boys in gray,
With thoughts too deep and fine for words,
lift this cup Of love to-day,
And drink what 01sly love affords.
|eldiers in blue, q health to you!
Long life and vigor oft renewed,
Mile on your hearts. like honey dew,
Falls our great countrys grasitude
Maurice Thompson, in AMERICAN Magazine.